K-Pop Warriors: The character who was created seven years before the animation

In “K-Pop Warriors”, a character was born long before the film became a huge success around the world. Recreio tells you below who she was and what she looked like before becoming a true phenomenon.

If HUNTR/X are a true success with their songs and a film that became the most watched in the history of Netflix, everything could have gone a little differently. Maggie Kangdirector of the animation, told the website Mashable that the first creation for the cartoon was Rumi, the main vocalist.

According to the creator, Rumi would be part of a completely different project from the one she ended up starring in, as the character became part of the phenomenon.

“She was created for a project that my partner was working on. He has a skateboarding group that he created and he wanted to create a new character. So we both sat down and thought, let’s do a Korean character. And so Rumi’s design was born, and I liked the character so much that I chose her for ‘K-Pop Warriors,'” said Kang.

Another point that Kang highlights is the inspiration in Buffy, another pop culture icon. According to her, Rumi always had a tough nature and needed characters to complement that personality, hence Zoey and Mira and, only then, the K-pop theme was included in the plot.

“Rumi was a tough girl, and I needed two other girls who were just as tough as her. So it was like a group of Buffy the Vampire Slayer-style demon hunters, and K-pop came last. It was more of a Korean element that I could add and use as her public persona.”

More about “K-pop Warriors”

Created by Maggie Kang e Chris Appelhans, “K-Pop Warriors” is a 2025 phenomenon from Sony Animations and Netflix. The animated feature film follows Rumi, Mira and Zoey: three k-pop idols who have a legion of fans like HUNTR/X and also hunt demons to protect the world against evil creatures.

However, the task becomes complicated when the Saja Boys – a demonic boy group – appear and end up stealing the hearts of their admirers with an even bigger plan, and the involvement between Rumi and the rivals’ leader, Jinu, could ruin everything. Filled with hits and moments that celebrate music, love and friendship, “Guerreiras do K-Pop” is available on Netflix.